The Reign of Darkness
by Emily0130
Summary: Adderstar was a young bold leader. His deputy, Hawktail,was a warrior much older and wiser than him. Hawktail does not know what Adderstar has done. Droughts, fires, flooding, and disease will sweep the camp. And Adderstar is almighty powerful, and immune to what he has brought on the Clans.Hawktail will be banished from a Clan that he would die to save.Takes place in old territory
1. Prologue

The Reign of Darkness

Prologue

Hawktail slipped through the dense bushes With ease. He followed his leader slowly. Adderstar had been suspicious lately. He had only become a leader a few moons ago. He was still very young, younger than Hawktail who was now deputy. He knew something was strange about him. And now, Adderstar wanted to speak with him in private.

Adderstar stopped near an old oak tree. He abruptly turned to face Hawtail.

"How much do you know?" Adderstar asked.

"Know about what?" Hawktail replied.

"About my deal with the Dark Forest,"

"You made a deal with the Dark Forest? How could you?" Hawktail asked angrily.

"Oh good you didn't know," Adderstar hissed.

Hawktail was silent. He didn't know what to say.

"What did you want from them?" Hawktail asked after a long silence.

"Strength, loyalty, respect, anything I want!" Adderstar said happily.

Hawktail was still seething with anger.

"And what did they want?" Hawktail said grimly.

"Freedom. Freedom to do whatever they want with the Clans."

"You fool! You mouse-brained fool!" Hawktail hissed arching his back.

"Oh don't worry they can't actually walk through the Clans. But they can spread diseases, flood, drought, fire anything! And I'm immune to all of it,"

Adderstar must have seen the anger on Hawktail's face.

"Hawktail, you're the greatest warrior I know! You were my mentor!We-we could work together! To rule the Clans!"

There was a long silence. Hawktail looked up at Adderstar after deep thought.

"Since when did my apprentice abandon treason for madness!" With that, he launched himself at Adderstar. He sank his jaws deep into Adderstar's throat. Blood flowed out. The young leader yowled and clawed at him. Adderstar quivered in pain. His body shook like a falling leaf. The shaking stopped. Adderstar was dead.

Suddenly, claws pierced his flank. Adderstar bit into him over and over. He scratched his right until it was swollen shut. With a final claw strike he passed out.

Hawktail woke up on top of the High Rock just as Adderstar was calling a Clan Meeting.

"Hawktail took one of my lives today," Adderstar hissed. The clan gasped.

"He is a traitor!" The Clan mewed in agreement.

Hawktail tried to defend himself but his jaw was crooked and he could barely talk.

"He must be banished!" Adderstar yowled. The clan yowled in agreement.

A few warriors dragged him off.

"Wait! Wait! You don't understand!" Hawktail rasped.

"He'll kill you all! He's poison!" He rasped again.

"He's poison!" Hawktail yowled as he was carried away.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Hawktail trenched through the forest. It had been almost a moon since he was banished from Thunderclan. The omens of the Dark Forest had already begun. The flood water was up to his belly already. He limped down to the abandoned barn that most of the loners hung out near.

The entrance was closed. Hawktail slammed himself against it with frustration.

"You're not from around here are you?" A voice sounded from behind him.

"No," Hawktail responded awkwardly. The small tabby she-cat walked towards him.

She lept up on a large rock next to the entrance.

"You just flip the handle to get in," she sad pawing at the handle.

She pushed in the door and this time it opened. Hawktail strutted into the nest. It was warm inside and smelt of fresh kill.

"So, where you from, mystery cat ?" She asked.

"I'm a Clan cat," Hawktail rasped.

"Oh yeah? And what does a clan cat want from us loners?" She said.

"I'm not a clan cat anymore," he said. "It's a long story,"

"Well you don't seem like the caring and sharing type, but we all have our reasons" The tabby said.

"I'm Mabel." She said handing him some herbs for his cuts.

"I'm Hawktail,"

"Well when the others come back from their hunt, their gonna wanna know who you are,"

"If you don't want me here I understand-" Hawktail began.

"No, the mothers and elders will understand, but your gonna need some convincing to persuade the others to let you stay." The tabby said.

"So you have a Clan going on here?" Hawktail asked.

"I'd hardly call it a Clan, it's more like a family," she responded.

Mabel read the questioned look on Hawktail's face.

"Most of us are blood related, but some of us aren't." She said licking her tail.

"So where are the mothers and elders?" Hawktail asked.

"In the loft,"

"_Loft?" _Hawktail repeated.

"Yeah, follow me," the tabby said.

Mabel ran up a steep hill-like structure to a second floor.

"It's called a ladder."

"Who's that?" One of the mothers asked.

"It's okay, he's a former Clan cat,". Mabel said."He won't hurt you,"

"This is Baby, Angel, Sasha, Luna, and Callie," Said Mabel.

"This is Hawktail," she said to them.

"Hey Hawktail," some of them said.

The door to the barn opened again and the hunters came streaming in. They had fresh kill in their mouths that made Hawktail's mouth water. The hunters lay their kill on a pile in the center of the barn.

"Hey, Mabel!" One of them yelled.

"Can you bring some fresh-kill to the elders and mothers?"

"Yeah sure, I'll be right there Jasper, I just need you to meet someone," she called back while running down the ladder.

Hawktail followed her.

"Who's that?" Jasper asked.

"This is Hawktail," Mabel said.

"A Clan cat? A Clan cat? Are you serious Mable?" Jasper hissed.

"Jasper, don't be like that-" Mabel began.

"Clan cats are ruthless! They kill! Look at him! He's been in a fight already!"

"Jasper, can I have a word with you, in private," Mabel and Jasper walked out the barn door.

Jasper and Mabel returned a few minutes later.

"We need to have a meeting," Jasper said.

A few moments later the whole group was gathered by the door. There were three 'leaders' of the group. One for each family. The leaders called the meeting. Every cat that could fend for themselves could come to the meeting. Many came, and a two of them bought over large leaves with stones inside.

"Today we have a new member of our group, he is a former Clan-cat, and wants to join our group," One of the leaders said.

"If you wish for him to stay, place a white stone on the hay. If you wish for him to leave, place a dark stone on the pile," the leader said again.

Hawktail was amazed by their system of voting. One by one the cats lined up and placed their stones as he watched. The number of votes were pretty even. Hawktail was worried there would be a tie! The votes were finished and the leaders counted them.

"The results are in." One of them said silencing the rest of the group.

"Hawktail will stay,"

Relief flooded threw him. Most of the cats cheered.

"Nice job," Mabel strutted up to him.

"Maybe you could teach us a few things about being a Clan cat," she said.

Hawktail nodded in approval.

"You should probably change your name to an official member of the group,"

"Like what?" He asked.

"I don't know you look kinda like a 'Toby' to me." She responded.

"Sounds good to me," he replied.

_Toby. _He thought about his name late at night. He had a long day of trying to decide which 'family' he was going to join. He finally joined Mabel's family and was snuggled up on her side of the barn. He could barely keep his eyes open after such a long day. The pitter-patter of rain on the rooftop eased him to sleep.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Hey guys, sorry this took so long to write, but here is the next chapter! By the way it takes place in the old territory not long after Skyclan left.**

Toby stretched out his fore paws on the small hay thicket he was lying on.

"Wake up!" A small voice called him. Smokey and Patches stood above him.

"What? It's the middle of the night, go back to your mother," He told the kits.

"But we wanna know how to be a warriors! Like you!" They said excitedly.

"Then why did you wake me up in the middle of the night?" He questioned.

"Oh, well I thought that's what warriors do, right?" Patches insisted.

Toby stared at them with a blank expression.

"Go back to bed," he sighed. The kits walked glumly back to the ladder. They bounded up to their mother in the loft.

Toby closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep. The light tabby was used to having the sunshine through his den but not today. The flood was still going on, and it was all because of Adderstar.

"Can you teach us now!" Smokey and Patches said quickly.

"Woah, let me eat some breakfast before I go on a hunt, and maybe then, I'll teach you," he grumbled.

Toby went out to hunt with a party of three. Mabel and Jasper came with him. They went on their usual route; the Great Birch Forest behind the barn. Toby wondered why he had never seen this beautiful forest as a Clan cat. For all he knew there was no end to it.

Jasper grumbled stumbling into the mud. The flood had been going on for over a moon, now. It rained every day. Toby's ears perked up as he heard a pheasant stumbling in the distance.

"What?" Mabel said staring at Toby's questioned look.

"Pheasant," he said quietly.

"How are we supposed to kill a pheasant?" She asked.

"Got any ideas Clan cat?" Jasper hissed.

"You've never hunted a pheasant before?" He asked staring at them.

"No they always run away," Mabel said.

"Follow my lead," Toby said stalking the bird. He motioned for Mabel and Jasper to stay put. Toby was about to launch on the bird, when Jasper stepped on a twig behind him.

The bird jerked his head and started to fly away. Toby's warrior instincts kicked in and he leaped into the air and clawed the bird's tail dragging it down to the ground. Mabel pounced delivering the kill. Theenormous bird lay limp on the ground.

"Nice job, I've never seen anything like that!" Mabel exclaimed. Jasper groaned.

"Thanks," he replied dragging the pheasant by its neck.

Mabel opened the barn door for him. Toby was here for almost a moon and he still didn't understand how to open the door.

"Woah!" One of the hunters said.

"You caught that?" He asked shocked.

"Yeah, but Mabel and Jasper helped me, too" he heaved placing the pheasant on the pile.

"Good thing we decided to keep you!" One of the elders said. Jasper glared at him with anger.

"Hey I helped, too!" Jasper hissed.

"Jasper you were the one that stepped a twig and nearly scared the thing away." Mabel commented.

The group laughed. Jasper looked at them with an angry expression.

"Jasper, don't be a downer, I was kidding," Mabel replied. Jasper strutted over to his nest with a mouse in his mouth, leaving the group.

_"Now, _can you teach us?" The two kits begged.

"Fine, but ask your mother first," he said grabbing a small mouse and trotting over to his nest. The kits hadn't come down from the loft in a few minutes, so Toby assumed their mother said no. He was used to that. Many of the loners thought that he was ruthless and violent. Luna probably didn't, but mothers are mothers.

A moment later a meeting was called. Leo, Jasper and Milo gathered by the door as other cats began to gather, too. The cats began to settle down as soon as the voting stones were pulled out.

"Today, we have a very important matter to discuss" Jasper mewed.

"As all of you know, Toby is from the Clan," Milo began.

"He is extremely skilled in hunting and combat," Lea mewed.

"Today we will vote to decide weather he shall train our kits or not," Leo said.

Hushed whispers came from the crowd. The three leaders waited for them to settle down. Two cats; Chloe and Shadow brought over the leaves.

"The voting will start now," Jasper said as cats crammed into the line. This time the votes were hidden by a leaf. Toby sat their awkwardly as others placed their votes.

The leaders tallied up the votes after they placed their decision.

"Toby will mentor our kits," Jasper announced reluctantly.

Cheer from the kits came from the nursery. Patches and Smokey ran down to him.

"Teach us how to be warriors!" They exclaimed.

"Okay, but it won't be a joy ride, you'll have to do dangerous things," he warned them.

"That's okay!" the said happily.

"Alright, as long as your mother is okay with it," he mewed.

"Oh she is!" they said anxiously

"Okay, follow me," he told them as the kits padded along to keep up.

"First, you are an apprentice, so you have to do what ever I tell you to do," he explained.

They nodded in approval.

"Now I'm going to show you the territory, so stay close to me so you don't get lost," he said as the kits nodded again.

First, Toby showed them the creek behind the Moore, which really wasn't a creek anymore. The flood water rose so high, that the whole territory was practically a creek. The small mud pool was practically underwater as well as the creek. Sometimes, Toby could see small fish swimming in between his feet as he walked.

Next, he showed them the Great Birch Forest. It seemed to go on forever. The kits insisted on finding the end of it, but Toby knew that wouldn't happen. The Forest was just too big. Finally, he showed them the meadow across from the Thunderpath, that everyone else called the _road._The cats trudged through the water on their way home.

"I'm tired," Patches moaned.

"I told you it was going to be hard," Toby said climbing through the bramble.

The kits fell asleep almost as soon as their had touched the hay thicket. Toby remebered his own apprentice being just like them. Adderpaw was great. He still wondered why the loyal warrior abandoned Starclan for The Dark Forest.

A clash of thunder woke him from his sleep. He raised his head up quickly. He heard a deep rumble. He knew it wasn't thunder. It was rushing flood water. The rumbling became louder and louder. Suddenly, the barn doors burst open and the water came rushing in.

"Flood!" Toby hissed.


	4. Chapter 3

**What's up warrior homies? Lol here is the next chapter. If you like it tell me, if you didn't still tell me! Constructive criticism is always welcome.**

Toby stared terrified into the surging flood water. The other hunters began to wake up quickly.

"Hurry! Into the loft!" Jasper hissed as he bounded up the ladder. Luckily the mothers and elders were already up there.

Toby stood against the rushing flood but was quickly swallowed by a wave of water. He felt the air escape his chest. He clawed and batted at the water, desperately trying to get up. He felt he was now in Starclan's grasp. _This is it. I'm going to die._ He thought.

Suddenly, he was lifted from the water.

"Mable?" Toby coughed staring at the brown tabby.

"Come on! The other door won't hold much longer!" She hissed over the rushing flood.

Toby stared at the other barn door as it creaked. The planks began to split open, just as Mabel and Toby ran up the ladder to the loft.

The door burst and more water came rushing through.

"Is everyone okay?" Someone called out.

Though they were all drenched, everyone was fine. For the rest of the night Toby tried to lick his soaking wet pelt clean. At one point he stared down into the water to see it hadn't slowed down yet.

The small wooden planks that held up the loft began to creek, keeping Toby awake all night long.

^..^|^..^|^..^|^..^|^..^|^..^

In the morning the flood water had shrunken down by some degree, but it was still up to Toby's chin when he leapt off of the ladder.

"It's pretty deep!" He called to the other hunters that were still up top.

They had tied a small rope to his flank, so that if he drowned, they could pull him up. He pulled off the uncomfortable thing, as soon as he realized he could stand. He half swam half walked over tithe fresh-kill pile that looked like drowned rats by now. He salvaged what he could and reported back to the other hunters.

"It's shallow enough to walk, but not for the kits," he said dropping the fresh-kill on the hay thicket.

Toby's ears perked up as he heard some splashes of water. He crouched down as his eyes widened. An older two-leg trudged through the door of the barn. He muttered something to himself.

"What do you think he's here for?" One of the mothers whispered.

"Maybe to repair the barn?" Mabel suggested.

Mabel was right. The two-leg came back a few moments later with a plank of wood. He hummed quietly to himself as he hammered the plank into the door that had burst open. Toby was surprised how quickly he repaired it. If he was in the clans, it would have taken him months to repair a flooded den.

The two-leg walked quickly back to his nest when he had repaired the door.

"That was fast," Toby said astonished.

"Yeah. The humans don't actually own the barn, but that one comes by every once in a while, to fix it, and such," Mable said running down the ladder.

"_Humans?_" Toby questioned.

"Two-legs, up-walkers, their actually called humans," Jasper explained.

The other cats began to climb down from the loft to fetch the remains of food. There wasn't much, so Toby organized a hunting party.

The light brown tom gently climbed into the tree. He glared at the nest with a large robin sitting in it. He squared his haunches and leaped on the bird. Toby delivered the kill bite before the bird even knew he was there. Happily, he swam back to the barn. He figured it would be easy to hunt in the trees since most of the squirrels and birds had gone up there due to the flood. The water inside the barn dried up enough for the kits to come down and play, but everywhere Toby stepped was soggy.

"Oh, eew," Toby mumbled as he pulled his paws out of a spot of mud.

"What's the matter warrior?" Jasper taunted.

"Can't handle a little mud?" He mocked again laughing with some other cats.

"I'm fine," Toby grumbled back. Jasper was starting to get on his nerves.

Toby began to rebuild his nest, but it was a gooey mess of mud, water, and hay. He finally gave in and slept in the loft where everyone else was sleeping for the night.

That night, Toby was restless. He had gotten so used the rain on the roof, that without it! he couldn't sleep! _At least the flooding stopped._He thought to himself. He walked outside to look beneath the stars. The gentle twinkle of Silverpelt gave him comfort. He hadn't been able to see the stars , for a full moon. Now that Starclan was back, he felt comfortable again.

"What do the stars signify?" A voice came from behind him.

"Starclan," he told her as he faced Mabel.

"What is that a Disney movie?" She asked.

"Whats that?" He mewed.

"Nevermind," she said sitting with him watching the stars.

"So, Starclan," she said.

"What do they do?" She asked curiously.

"Well, they sort of control the clans. Each star in the sky represents a cat in Starclan. And when you die, you go and join them," he said still staring at the beautiful stars.

"So, like humans have heaven, and cats have Starclan?" She asked.

"How do you know so much about two-I mean-humans?" He said changing the subject.

"Well, believe it or not I used to live with them," she said.

"So, you ran away?" Toby asked.

"No, they moved away, and left me here," she said sadly.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Toby said to her.

"Its alright, I'm sure your reason for joining is worse," Mabel purred.

"I don't know, actually," he mumbled.

"Well, why did you come here?" She finally asked.

Toby sighed. Thinking about his time in the clans.

"I was framed for attacking my leader," he rasped walking back to the barn.

"Wait, what?" She asked.

"It's a really long story," he sighed.

"I've got time, cause there's no way I'm sleeping in the loft again, next to Patches who can't stop snoring." She laughed slightly.

Toby strutted back up her. He sat down and began to tell her every detail about his attack, and how Adderstar was a traitor. He included everything, except the part about his Dark Forest deal.

"That's awful," she gasped.

"Yeah, but I guess I kinda got over it," he sighed staring back into the stars. _Where are you Starclan?_


	5. Chapter 4

**Thanks so much for the support guys! I only have two reviews, so if I get some more I'll update more often! Anyway here is Chapter Four!**

Toby woke with his back cringed against a rock. He had fallen asleep outside next to Mabel. She was clearly unhappy, too as she growled during her sleep. He stretched and strutted into the barn. No one was awake yet, so he went hunting by himself. The water was starting to clear up, but little puddles dotted the forest.

^..^|^..^|^..^

Toby trotted back to the barn and dropped four mice and a rabbit onto the kill pile.

"Can we go training now?" Patches and Smokey stood next to him.

"Alright, just make sure you tell your mom," he purred walking over to his nest. He had tried straightening it up, before, but this time it was dry, so it was easier.

"Can we go _now?_" they begged.

"Okay! Let's go," he mewed walking out of the barn door.

"I showed you the territory a few days ago right?" He asked them.

"Yes! Can we learn how to hunt?" They begged again.

"I guess that would be the first step," Toby mumbled taking them deeper into the woods.

"Do you smell that?" He asked the kits.

"It's smells like food." Smokey responded.

"Okay. It is food. But what _type _of food?" He urged.

"Um… squirrel?" Patches guessed.

"Mouse." He told them.

"Ohhh," they mewed.

"Now watch me," he said moving forward towards the mouse.

Toby slowly creeped up on the small gray creature. It's nose twitched slightly. Small leaves fluttered onto its head. He lowered himself to the ground. He leaped onto the mouse and bite into its neck.

"Wow! Nice job!" Smokey said.

"Now you try," he told them.

"Remember where the wind was facing," Tony said.

"And square your haunches before you leap," he said as Patches stepped through the leaves.

"I smell something," Patches mewed.

"Good, now tell me what it is," Toby encouraged.

"Squirrel?" he looked up at his mentor.

"Very good," he told the tawny cat.

"Follow your nose and remember what I told you," he said fading away from Patches.

Patches creeped around a few sticks on the forest floor. He eyed the squirrel and bent down slowly. Patches stalked it with ease. He finally launched on it and killed the thing.

"I did it!" He exclaimed cheerfully.

"Nice job!" Toby mewed. "Now bury it beneath this tree," he told him.

"Why?" he questioned.

"So you can find it easily," Toby told both buried their kill under neath a birch tree.

"Can I try now?" Patches asked excitedly.

"Go ahead," Toby said leading them deeper into the Great Birch Forest.

"Wait!" Patches exclaimed.

"I smell… uh… vole?" he questioned himself.

"Very good!" Toby said proudly.

^..^|^..^|^..^

The day continued on with hunting until the sun drooped below the trees. The three cats trotted back to the barn proudly. It was almost dark now.

A breeze swooshed in an odd smell.

_Rogue._ Toby thought.

"Get down. Be quiet." He hushed the two toms.

"What is it?" Smokey asked.

"Rogue." He said leading them back to the barn.

The two kits instantly became nervous.

"Hurry," he urged them back to the barn.

"Was he going to kill us?" They asked nervously.

"Possibly," he said running into the barn.

"We ran into rogues!" Patches yowled.

"Shhh!" Toby hissed loudly.

"You're waking everyone up!" he hissed at them.

"Place your food in the fresh kill pile, and go up to your mother," he ordered the kits.

They placed their kill into the pile and trotted up the ladder.

In the morning whispers about the rogues floated across the camp.

"Hey Toby, did you actually see a rogue?" Mabel asked him.

"Well, no, but I smelt him," he answered her walking over to the fresh kill pile.

"Jasper's sending out a patrol, to hunt down the thing, if you wanna come you can," she informed him.

"Yeah sure of course," he responded.

Jasper organized a group of ten to go search for the rogue.

"Alright," he announced over the other cats.

"We'll all split up into pairs of two, me and Jasper will take the lead into the forest. The rest of you can pair up yourselves," he said bounding into the woods. Toby followed quickly. Why would Jasper want to be with him? He didn't even like him.

"Where did you say you smelt it?" Jasper hissed impatiently.

"Well, it was right over-off!" Toby yowled as Jasper through him against a tree.

"Where did the rogues come from? Did you invite them?" He hissed at Toby.

"What? No I don't have anything to do with the rogues!" He explained.

"Oh really?" Jasper questioned again.

"I find that extremely coincidental, considering, you found them as you were walking back to camp, almost like you tried to lead them here," he hissed.

"Look, Jasper, anyone could've found them, I didn't lead them here," he said.

Jasper stared deeply into his eyes.

"You're getting off easy, runt," he shoved Toby onto the ground.

The rest of the hunt was extremely awkward. They found traces of the rogue here and there, but nothing much. They met up with the other groups at the clearing.

"Anyone else find anything?" Jasper sad coolly.

"No," the hunters reported glumly.

"Alright, lets had back to camp," Jasper padded back to the barn.

^..^|^..^|^..^

That night, Toby woke to the loft creaking above him. He stayed put trying to get some more sleep. The green-leaf whispered through the open window of the barn. One of the mother probably got hot and opened it. Toby wished he knew how to open the windows.

A loud yowl came from the nursery. His ears perked up and he ran up the ladder to the nursery. He saw a mangled mess of Baby lying on the ground. The other queens woke up too.

A huge white tom stood above Baby. The rogue.

"You stay away from her!" He hissed at the tom.

"I'll be back," the tom grinned before leaping out the open window.

"Help! I need help!" Toby yowled as he walked over to Baby. Other cats gathered around as well as the mothers.

"She needs medicine," he said as he gently picked up the small she-cat by the scruff.

"What happened?" One of the cats asked.

"She needs to see Darksky," Toby exclaimed.

"Who's that?"

"A medicine cat," Toby answered.

"Wait I thought the clans hated you?" Mabel asked.

"Not this one," Toby answered.

"He's my brother,"


	6. Chapter 5

**Sorry I sound really needy, but I REALLY need some reviews. I'll write some more chapters, if I get them. I'm holding my story hostage! Lol just kidding. **

Toby ran out of the barn into the shivering night.

"Wait, so your gonna run back into a clan that hates you?" Mabel asked chasing after him.

"You have any other ideas?" He hissed.

"Just stay here! I'll be back before sunset tomorrow!" he hissed chasing for the Thunderpath.

Baby moaned slightly as he dragged her limp body across the ferns. He continued to run until his lungs gasped for air. He felt like claws were scraping his throat, but he continued.

Toby ran for hours until the sun slightly peaked over the trees. He finally reached Thunderclan territory where he followed the familiar route to the camp. Before he entered he circled around the camp and found the back entrance to the medicine cat's den.

"Darksky!" He whispered as he gently put Baby down.

Darksky twitched as he lifted his head up and stared at him.

"Hawktail? How did you-" Darksky was cut off.

"No time to explain, I need you to help her," Toby said nudging Baby's soft gray fur.

"What happened?" He asked getting into medicine cat-mode.

"Rogue," Toby answered eagerly.

"I need you to keep her awake," Darksky hissed grabbing a number of herbs.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I said so!" He hissed again.

"And keep it down the or the clan is gonna wake up!" Darksky hissed.

"Okay," he whispered.

He bent down next to Baby and nuzzled her fur to keep her awake.

"What about her kits?" He asked.

"Her what?" Darksky said impatiently.

"Her kits! She expecting kits! Do you know if they'll make it?"

"I don't know," he answered rubbing cobwebs on her wounds.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Toby hissed.

"Okay, just do what I tell you and try to be calm," Darksky growled placing herbs into her mouth.

Toby tried to keep Baby awake the rest of night, but she dosed off a few times.

By the time the morning came, Baby was heeled. Her body was laced with wounds, and she was partially unconscious, but she and her kits would live.

"You should go now," Darksky growled.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the High Rock for a Clan meeting," He heard Adderstar hiss.

"Darksky,"

"Yes?"

"Thank you," he told his brother before bounding into the Forest with Baby.

He helped Baby walk home, as she was too weak to walk on her own.

"Who was that?" She asked coughing slightly.

"It's okay, he was an old friend," he said putting her down next to a small puddle.

"Have some water," he told her.

"Your kits need it," Toby said standing up and looking around.

Baby bent down and began to lap up the water.

"What about you?" She asked.

"I'm fine, you need it more than I do," he said thinking about the dryness in his throat.

They continued to walk until the sun started to go down. They reached the barn just as the first star set in the sky.

They barged in the entrance and warmth greeted them.

"Baby!" Charlie sprinted over to his mate.

"Are you okay?" They came over to Toby and Baby.

"She's okay," Toby said feeling extremely exhausted.

"I just…" Toby began to say, but past out on the cold floor.

^..^|^..^|^..^

Toby woke a hushed whisper of cats. His vision was blurry and his head hurt so bad, he couldn't lift it.

"Toby?" He roughly heard.

"Toby are you awake?" This time the voice was clearer.

"Charlie?" Toby looked up at the black tom.

"He's okay," Charlie said turning back at someone behind him.

"Here, have some water," Charlie insisted as he pushed a bucket of rainwater towards him.

Toby didn't resist and began to lap up the water.

"Is Baby okay?" He asked when he was done with his water.

"She's fine, thanks to you," he said staring at his mate.

"That's what I came here for," Charlie said sitting next to him.

"I wanna thank you for what you did, if you didn't she would've died," Charlie purred.

"I did what anyone would've done," he said shyly.

"Don't give me that nonsense," Charlie said.

"Look, no one else believes that there was a rogue there, but I do," Charlie told him.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Toby asked.

"Well, most cats think there was no rogue, and you were just lying," Charlie explained.

"Why would they think that?" He asked.

"Beats me," Charlie answered.

"But you ran almost two days to heal her, so I believe you." The black tom said walking back to his mate.

Toby stood up and immediately felt dizzy. He trotted down from the loft to grab a mouse to eat. He walked out with his head still in pain.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mabel called from behind him.

"I'm gonna find the rogue that attacked Baby," He said following the rogue's scent trail.

"Toby you can barely walk straight, your dehydrated," she said.

"I need to find him!" He hissed.

"Toby, just calm down, you need to think logically here," she said walking after him.

Toby turned to face the small tabby.

"I don't know why that rogue came," he growled.

"But he said something to me," Toby said.

"Toby, what did he say to you?" She asked.

"He said he'd be back," Toby sighed.

"Toby, just come back and get some rest," she said.

"Fine," he sighed following her back to the barn.

The barn door quietly shut as Toby and Mabel walked in.

"Just get some sleep, and I'll wake you up if anything happens," Mabel said.

Toby curled up in his nest and drifted off to sleep. He felt, for the first time in a week, safe.


	7. Chapter 6

**Guys. I'm getting tired writing this story, if no one reviews it. So please, review, sorry if I sound mean, but some people hold their stories hostage, so I'm not that** **mean. AND, I think someone reported me for giving out free OC's, because my free OC's story is deleted. If you don't wanna admit to doing your a mouse-brain that ruined the fun. Sorry for all of you that actually needed OC's, you can also join my forum, if you seriously need them.**

Toby woke up without a headache, the next day, but he felt so hungry. He grabbed a fat rabbit and began to munch on it to fill the nagging pit in his stomach.

"Mind if I share?" Mabel said strutting up to him.

"Be my guest," he said beginning to chew.

"So, how's you bro?" She asked between bites of rabbit.

"Who?"

"You brother. Or bro, however you wanna say it," she said.

"My 'bro' is doing fine I guess," he said. "He's just confused," _  
_

"I'll bet," she said finishing her bite of rabbit.

"Well, if you wanna finish it, you can," Toby said walking away from the rabbit.

He walked back into the barn where he could see most of the group was staring at him. Jasper walked up to him.

"So, what did the rogue look like?" He asked him.

"He was a big white tom with amber eyes, and he had a strange scar on his flank," Toby answered.

"Good, we go on a search patrol at dawn," he said walking past him.

Toby bounded up the ladder to see Baby.

"So, are your wounds healing correctly?" He asked.

"Yeah. Thanks to your friend. He's a very skilled doctor," she answered.

"Doctor?"

"A healer, or I think the clan cats call them medicine cats," Baby said.

"Oh," he said embarrased.

"Anyway, I came to bring some wet moss, for you and the other mothers," he said respectfully dropping a clump of moss for them to drink.

"At least the flood water is starting to dry up," Toby said.

"Yeah, I guess," she said lapping the moss.

"Anyway, I'm gonna find that rogue. And I'm gonna kill him myself," he told her.

^..^|^..^|^..^

The dawn patrol left soon after that, but most of the group stayed behind. After what the rogue said about coming back, most of the cats wanted to stick around to protect themselves. The cats split up again, but Toby went by himself.

The dark tabby creeped through the undergrowth with ease. He sniffed the air for the familiar scent of the rogue. Toby continued to search until he picked up its scent trail. He climbed over a large rock and saw a rummaged nest; like someone left in a picked through the nest to see chewed up bones of small prey. He sniffed around further and found more bones. Toby moved around the nest and found clumps of his fur.

He suddenly felt a dark presence looming above him. Before he could turn around, he was hit in the head and fell unconscience.

^..^|^..^|^..^

Toby woke up with a terrible headache again. He was next to the rogue's nest. He got up and saw the rogue turned around eating something. He quietly stretched his legs, and pounced on him. The two cats fought with each other furiously. Toby raked his claws across the white tom's flank. He yowled in pain. Toby launched himself at the tom again. The rogue stepped back, and scrunched up his face. Toby leaped on him once more and knocked him out.

Toby began to drag the tom by the scruff. He pulled the huge rogue all the way back to the barn.

"I got some fresh kill!" Toby mewed sarcastically, as he dropped the tom on the ground.

He realized that the rest of the patrol was already back.

"Is he alive?" Charlie asked.

"Well, I knocked him out," Toby responded.

"You're sure this is him?" Charlie asked sniffing the tom and then wrinkling his nose.

"Yep," Toby mewed, also wrinkling his nose at the smell.

"Let's kill him then," Charlie said raising a claw.

"Woah hey! We need to speak with the leaders first," Toby said stopping Charlie.

"Toby's right," Milo padded up behind the two of them.

"We must vote first."

The clan had placed their votes hidden underneath the leaf. Toby voted for his death, like most of the others.

"The votes have been placed, and the results are in." The clan waited anxiously.

"The rogue will die," Jasper said happily.

Cheers of happiness spread through the barn.

"The rogue has nearly killed one of our mothers, therefore, he shall die," Leo hissed.

"The rogue will be killed by poison berries when he wakes up," Jasper mewed.

After the tom woke, the leaders took him outside the barn. There, they coaxed him to his death. The clan was happy, but Toby wasn't so sure he was. He was a terrible rogue, that did terrible things, but to die in a horrible way like that was harsh. Toby hadn't thought about killing the rogue until he was dead. Now he felt bad. He figured he would get over it, but after a few days it was still fresh in his mind. Maybe Starclan would forgive him. He hadn't thought about them much, so he went to pray to them one night.

Toby stared at the bright Starclan warriors that dotted the sky. He had never gotten a prophecy or an omen or anything like that, but he knew Starclan was real. Other clan members had gotten prophecies, why shouldn't he get any? He never thought about this until now, but it seemed Starclan had abandoned him.

Was the Dark Forest really going to kill them all? Where was Starclan? All these thoughts rushed through Toby's head. He turned back to the barn and headed inside for the night.


	8. Chapter 7

**What's up guys, this is a shout out to Snowsong of Snowclan, because she/he has given me many reviews! Anyway, the past few chapters haven't been really exciting, but I assure you this one will be!**

It had been one full moon since the rogue's death, and two moons since the flood. Toby began to think that there was no rising of The Dark Forest, and the flood was just a strange coincidence. Maybe Adderstar had just tricked him, and only told him about The Dark Forest, to banish him from the Clan. Toby hoped he was right.

On a bright sunny morning, Toby woke to train with his apprentices again, like any other day. However, today was an especially day, even for green-leaf.

"Can we get some water?" Patches gaped after he had just caught a squirrel.

"After you catch three more pieces of fresh-kill," Toby stated grabbing a mouse he had caught.

"Ugghhh," Smokey complained dragging his feet across the dry ground.

By the time the kits caught three more pieces of prey, it was already afternoon.

"_Now_, can we get a drink?" Patches complained.

"Okay, but soak some moss for the mothers and elders, too, okay?" Toby hissed.

"Okay!" The kits said padding towards the creek.

Toby could see they were getting big. They had already moved out of the nursery, and were now sleeping with the other warriors. They were up to his shoulder in length. In a few short moons they would be warriors.

"We got the water," Smokey mewed through a thick piece of moss.

"Good," Toby turned his thoughts back to his apprentices. "Now go run back to the barn and give I to the mothers and elders," he said trotting back to the barn with them.

Toby walked in and once again, his nose was filled with the sweet smell of fresh-kill. He had never truly gotten used to it.

He padded on into his nest with a squirrel and began to eat. His two apprentices ran down the ladder of the loft with excitement on their faces.

"Baby's kits were born while we were gone!" Smokey purred.

"Really? That's great!" Toby said following them back up the ladder.

Baby rested in her nest with two kits snuggled by her side.

"Congratulations, what are their names?" Toby asked.

"This one is Bear," she said licking the big brown tom. "And this one is Maggie," she said pointing her nose at the small black she-kit.

"They're lovely," Toby said bending down next to her kits.

Soon after that, Toby left to go on a hunting patrol. The group wasn't as fortunate as they had been the last few days. The only kill they returned with was three mice, two birds, and one squirrel. _It's the weather._ Toby thought. _They won't be out in the extreme heat._

One week later, Toby consulted Jasper about moving the apprentices up to warriors.

"If you really think their ready," Jasper answered him.

"So… when do you want to do it?" Toby asked.

"Whenever you want,"

_We'll that wasn't much help._ Toby thought as he walked out of the barn. Maybe they were ready. They were definitely getting big. He thought he would give them their assesment first.

He called Patches and Smokey out of the barn that morning to talk with them.

"So, I was doing some thinking with Jasper, and he and I both think you're ready to become warriors." He announced.

"Really? Yay!" They purred.

"But first," Toby began. "You need to have your assessment," he said.

"Okay, well what do we do?" they asked.

"Both of you must catch three pieces of fresh-kill within a certain amount of time," Toby said.

"How much time will we have?" Smokey asked.

"You should have as much as you need, but I'll be watching you," Toby said.

The toms nodded.

"You'll go one at a time, so I can see how you do," Toby mewed.

"So, who wants to go first?"

^..^

Toby followed Patches in the birch trees. He swung from tree to tree with ease. The spotted tom easily caught three pieces of fresh-kill within an hour. However, Smokey had only caught two pieces of kill, and the end of an hour was nearing. They gray tom stumbled worriedly through the undergrowth.

Toby was about to leap out of the tree and tell him his time was up, when something stumbled into his sight. It wasn't a piece of fresh-kill. It was a tall lanky cat with bloodshot eyes.

The tom mewed slightly and passed out in front of Smokey.

"Toby!" Smokey hissed.

Toby leaped down from the trees and ran up to the tom.

"Who is he?" Toby asked.

"I-I don't know, he just stumbled up to me-" Smokey stuttered.

"Help me get him out of here," Toby interrupted him.

Toby lifted the tom by the scruff and Smokey put one of his fore paws around his shoulder. Toby saw what Smokey did, and did the same. They dragged him back to the barn and burst open the doors.

"Help!" Smokey hissed to no one in particular.

Warriors ran up to him and helped them.

"Who is he?" Some one asked.

"We don't know," Toby said lifting the tom off of his shoulder.

Some warriors lifted him carefully onto a nest of hay.

"What happened?" Rocky, the partial medicine cat asked.

"He just past out in front of us," Toby answered.

"Heat stroke," Rocky said feeling his heart beet.

"I need water," Rocky said. "Smokey, Patches, go fetch some water from the creek,"

The apprentices nodded and headed for the creek.

"Will he live?" Toby asked.

"Most likely, but I can't make any promises," The cat said trying to find some water.

The apprentices seemed to take forever to find the creek.

"When will they be back?" Toby mumbled to himself pacing back and forth. He stared at the thin tom in curiosity.

The barn door suddenly burst and Smokey and Patches came in.

"Where's the water?" Toby asked as he ran up to then.

"It wasn't there," Patches answered.

"What are you talking about about?" Toby hissed.

"It was gone! The creek dried up!"


	9. Chapter 8

**Thank you guys so much for reviewing, I really appreciate it so, here is the next chapter, after there was a cliff hanger.**

_"What do you mean?" Toby_ asked the two toms.

"It was just a gorge! The water must have dried up!" Smokey said panting.

"What should we do?" Toby turned to Mabel.

"The humans," she said.

"That's great, but how can they help?" Toby hissed.

"They can give us water, they have pipes witch pup water with the flick of a switch," she answered.

Toby thought about what she had said. "Okay, help me get him up," Toby grunted lifting the tom by the scruff. Mabel through his other arm around her shoulder and they began walking. The tom blinked his eyes open slowly as they neared the two-leg nest.

"Hey, are you okay?" Toby asked the tom.

He grunted slowly and dropped his head lower.

"Come on we gotta hurry," Toby said running faster as Mabel tried to keep up.

They reached the human's house a few moments later and dropped him gently on the porch.

The two began to meow at the door hoping the human would here them. There was a loud thumping noise, and Toby arched his back as the older man appeared.

The human bent down next to the tom and lifting him up gently, they human began to talk to Toby and Mabel, but they couldn't make out what he was saying. The man walked into the house holding the tom, as he left the door open.

Toby and Mabel both stared at each other before entering the house to Toby's right the man had put the tom on a countertop. He walked over to what must have been the water pump that Mabel described. The man filled up a bowl of water and began to feed the dying tom. Slowly, he coughed up some of the water, and became conscious. The tom was startled at the two-leg and jumped down from the counter.

"Who is that? Who are you?" The tom hissed nervously.

"Hey, its okay, we're not going to hurt you, and neither is he," Mabel answered calmly.

The tom looked around nervously and stared back at them.

"What happened?" the tom asked.

"You had a heat stroke," Mabel began. "One of our apprentices found you,"

"We should leave," Toby interrupted.

The older man was kind and let them leave willingly.

"So, what's your name?" Toby asked awkwardly.

"I'm Harley," the tom responded. "And yours?"

"I'm Toby, and this is Mabel,"

"So, Harley, where are you from?" Mabel asked.

"Um, you know just around," he said, "I don't really have a permanent home," he said shyly.

They walked back to the barn in silence.

"So Harley, would you like to join our group?" Mabel asked.

"Thanks but, I'm more of a loner kinda guy," Harley said.

"Alright then," Toby said. "See you around I guess," Toby meowed walking into the barn.

^..^

"What happened to the loner?" Jasper hissed.

"He left," Mabel mewed.

"What do you mean?" Jasper approached them.

"The two-leg gave him some water, and he decided to leave," Toby said.

"Great, now what about us?" Jasper hissed again. "We cant rely on the two-legs for water?"

"Well tough, Jasper, we can't-" Mabel began.

"I'll lead a search patrol at dusk," Toby interrupted.

"Good," Jasper said walking away.

"What was that all about?" Mabel asked.

"What?" Toby responded.

"You're so quick to jump on a search patrol, or find the rogue that injured Baby," Mabel said.

"So?" He asked.

"So, you don't have to be the one to do everything," she purred.

"Yeah, but-"

"Give your self a break," she answered.

Toby stared deep into her beautiful green eyes. "Okay, but I have to find some water," he told her.

^..^

Toby sniffed the air outside the barn. There was no trace of humidity. He leaped onto the rock next to the barn and began to sniff. None there either.

He motioned for the group to follow him, and they did. Each cat had a clump of dry moss in their mouthes, to soak up water when they found it. Toby followed the familiar scent trails of water; unnatural green patches of grass, any sign of other animals and of course, mud or wetness.

Toby had picked up a scent trail of humidity. He followed it to the Thunderpath, but it led across the Thunderpath.

"Okay, we'll go one at a time," Toby said.

"Are you crazy?" Charlie asked.

"Those cars won't stop for anything," Mabel said agreeing with Charlie.

"So, we'll just have to be extra careful," Toby said staring across the Thunderpath.

He waited for the monster, or _car_, as Charlie had called them.

He quickly darted across. Another car passed by as soon as he reached the other side.

Toby flipped his tail to signal Mabel to come over. She ran over quickly.

Soon, the whole patrol was over on the other side, and they began searching again.

Toby followed the trail to the High Stones. The trail suddenly averted around the High Stones, and went towards Shadowclan territory.

He sniffed the air some more and shifted towards the Carrion Place. Toby turned around a rock and saw a fresh spring of water.

"We found water!" he purred excitedly.

The patrol huddled around the fresh spring and began to soak up the dry moss. The trees above them shaded the spring from the sun's harmful rays. They found more moss and soaked it up. Toby grabbed a leaf to hold all the wet moss he could. Mabel grabbed one too, and began to pile the wet moss on.

Soon enough, everyone had a leaf with soggy moss.

"Wonder how all this water stayed here," Charlie asked lapping up some of the cold water.

Toby shrugged. "I mean, these trees won't shade much," Toby said staring into the spring water.

Then he saw something that caught his eye. A very deep hole in the bottom of the spring seemed to lead to a tunnel.

"There's a tunnel down there!" Toby exclaimed. "It leads somewhere else!"


	10. Chapter 9

**Guys, I didn't get any reviews for the last chapter, so I'm hoping I'll get some for this chapter. By the way, this chapter might be a little confusing, but it will all be explained in the next chapter.**

Hawktail stared up at his leader's emerald eyes. A terrible fire blazed behind him.

"Owlstar!" He yowled at his leader. "We must leave!" He hissed urging his leader as sparks flew towards them.

"I can't leave my Clan!" He hissed trying to turn back.

"Owlstar, they're gone! I escorted them to RiverClan!" He hissed dodging fallen embers.

Owlstar stared back at him in disbelief. A large fiery branch fell behind them.

"We must leave! Hurry!" Hawktail hissed.

The two toms darted through the forest, to the Sunning Rocks. They reached the large stones just in time for a tree to fall behind them, concealing Thunderclan territory. The Sunning Rocks burned hot on their paws, so they dove into the water.

Waves consumed Hawktail. He desperately reached his paws out to try and help his leader. Another wave washed over him and he hit his head on a rock, knocking him unconscious.

^..^

"Shh!" someone hissed. "He's waking up!" Hawktail now recognized Darksky's voice.

"Darksky?" He mewed trying to lift his head.

"Yes, its me, are you okay?" Hawktail felt his brother moving in closer to him. Groggily, he opened his eyes to a bright clearing.

"Where are we?" He asked.

"RiverClan territory," Darksky mewed pressing herbs onto a wound on his head.

"They have been kind enough to let us stay, while our territory grows back," Darksky said pressing cobwebs on him.

"Get that thing off me," he growled at his brother, who tried to push more herbs on his head.

"Quit being a kit for three minutes, will you?" Darksky hissed at him.

"Fine," Hawktail grumbled and allowed his brother to continue.

"How long was I out?" Hawktail changed the subject.

"Three days," he brother said casually.

"Three days!" Hawktail repeated. "What happened?" Hawktail said standing up quickly.

"Hey, take it easy, Hawktail, you've got a serious concussion!" Darksky hissed.

His brothers words echoed through his mind as he started to fell light-headed again.

"Just sit down," Darksky hissed impatiently. Hawktail didn't have to be told twice and resumed his spot in the clearing.

Other cats padded by casually, some holding fish, others holding herbs.

"So what did happen while I was out?" Hawktail repeated.

"Well, Maplesong had her kits," Darksky said combing through his brother's fur "and Amberblaze joined Starclan," Darksky said sadly.

"This is ridiculous," Hawktail sad getting up.

"Hey! Sit down!" Darksky hissed.

"I can't just lie down and pretend everything is okay, when cats have died, Darksky" Hawktail hissed.

"Hawktail, you've done enough,"Darksky purred. "Have a seat,"

The next few days went by so slow, Hawktil couldn't take it. Darksky had wrapped a cobweb bandage around his head, so the bleeding would stop, but he couldn't move anywhere or do anything. One night he got sick of being stuck in the elders' den, and snuck out in the middle of the night.

"I hope I die before I become old," he grumbled to himslef as he snuck out of the den. His head throbbed terribly, but he didn't care.

He padded out into the reeds and stared across the river. What he saw was awful. The trees had been crippled down to nothing but black chars. Little fires were still burning, but they had mostly cleared up, leaving a burnt down forest behind.

"Having fun?" Darksky purred behind him.

"Fine, I'll go back in the elder's den," he growled at his brother.

"No, that's okay," Darksky said. "I wanted you to get some fresh air," he mewed.

"What has Starclan done to us?" Hawktail cried.

"It wasn't Starclan," Darksky said quietly. "Sometimes thing just happen," Darksky mewed staring at the stars.

^..^

The next morning, Hawktail's wounds had healed enough for him to go hunting with some of the RiverClan warriors.

"So, Hawktail," Pikesplash mewed swaying into the water. "Do you know how to swim?"

"A little bit," he responded touching his paws into the freezing water.

"A little bit isn't enough," the ginger tom mewed. "I'll teach you the basics today," Pikesplash said climbing out of the water.

"You'll learn where the apprentices train," Pikesplash sad leading him towards a shallow pool.

"Seriously? That's to shallow," he told Pikesplah.

"Your eyes deceive you Hawktail." Pikesplash mewed.

"This pool is deeper than it looks," he said dipping a paw into the pool.

"It also has a very strong current,"

Hawktail stared at the small pool.

"Alright," he mewed,"Let's get to work,"

^..^

Once again, the current whipped Hawktail around.

"How do apprentices train in this pool?" Hawktail spuutered.

"You'll get used to it," Pikesplash said secretly laughing at the drenched tom.

After many days, Hawktail learned the basics of swimming. He knew how to swim through tough currents without drowning, but the area by the falls was a problem. The current was to rough there. Only the toughest RiverClan warriors could actually swim near the falls.

Once he had mastered swimming, Pikesplash taught him how to fish. The two of them were becoming good friends.

"You're a natural!" Pikesplash mewed as Hawktail came out of the water. He hauled up a trout, and two salmon.

"Thanks," Hawktail said holding the fish in his mouth.

"It's like your half-RiverClan!" Pikesplash laughed.

"Well, too bad I cant stick around," Hawktail explained. "We'll be leaving in a few days,"

"Yeah, I started to see signs of growth from ThunderClan camp," Pikesplash agreed.

"Well, thanks for teaching me how to fish," Hawktail said.

"No problem, just catch try to catch some more fish to fill up the pile," Pikespla said.

"Sure," Hawktail said diving into the water.

In the next few days, Hawktail had caught more fish then he had want to, and eaten more fish then he had needed to! He felt so full after one of his meals, he thought he would be sick. Instead, he jumped back into the river. It started to become relaxing.

He felt the tide slowly carry him down stream, but he wasn't nervous this time.

"Come on Hawktail!" Darksky called.

"What?" He asked annoyed.

"We're leaving! The forest is growing back!" He said excitedly.

Hawktail jumped out of the water quickly.

"Wait, a minute," he called to his brother.

He ran over to Pikesplash quickly."Hey, Pikesplash," he greeted the ginger tom.

"Hey, Hawktail, I heard you were leaving today," the tom said.

"Yeah, I just want to say thank you, for all that you've done," Hawktail mewed.

"No problem, just don't be steeling RiverClan's fish now!" Pikesplash laughed.

"I'm not even going to think about having fish, or I'll get sick,"

"Anyway," he said strutting out of the warriors den. "Thank you," he told the ginger tom.

Hawktail followed his clan across the River to ThunderClan territory. He would never forget RiverClan or Pikesplash.


	11. Chapter 10

**Hey guys, I bet you were wondering why the last chapter took place in the Clans, and you will find out! But only if you read the story!**

Toby stared down into the tunnel.

"Where does it lead?" Someone asked.

"I don't know," Toby answered. "But, I'll find out," he said leaping into the water.

"You know how to swim?" Mabel asked.

"Yeah," he replied calmly.

"How? I thought you were from the forest?" She asked confused.

"Yes, I am," he said. "But, my territory had a fire once, and we had to stay with RiverClan" he answered.

"So you learned to swim?"

"Yes," Toby said sinking down into the water.

"Wait," Mabel called him back. "Be careful,"

"Okay," he said diving in.

Toby followed the tunnel deep underground. He continued to swim until he found an air bubble above him. He tried to grasp a the slippery rock while he took a breath.

After he took a breath, he continued to swim down the tunnel. A small fish slithered by him. Toby swam faster and faster, but he was running out of air. He saw another air bubble and this time he grasped on to the top and began to breath.

He continued doing this for a long time. Every so often, there would be air bubbles at the top of the tunnel, where he could take a breath of air.

Toby thought the tunnel would never end. It just went on and on in the same direction. He was almost going to turn back, when he saw the light. It was very bright, so he skipped the air bubble, and swam up to it. He finally poked his head up in the daylight. The tunnel lead to another spring.

Toby got out and looked around. He saw the familiar house where the old man lived, and then saw the barn in the distance. How could they not have found this? But then, he smelt something awful. Fox-dung. He sniffed the air for more, and found it scattered all over the clearing. This wasn't natural. Someone was hiding the water.

^..^

"Alright! Everyone calm down!" Jasper hissed over the crowd of murmuring cats.

"We have no leads, as to who was hiding this water from us," Jasper began. "But what we do know is that we have a fresh water source, not far from the barn" Jasper finished.

"And where is this water source?" Silver, an older tom asked.

"It's behind the moor, not far from the Birch Forest," Toby answered still shaking his pelt free of water.

"I suggest we take a patrol down there at noon," Jasper finished the meeting.

"So that tunnel lead all the way across the road, and to the backside of the moor?" Mabel asked.

"Yeah, but there were air bubbles at the top of the tunnel, so I could breath frequently," Toby said humbly.

"Wow," she said. "You're a good swimmer," Mabel said grabbing a piece of fresh-kill.

The two walked over to their nests to eat their lunch in peace.

"Oh shoot," Toby said.

"What?" Mabel asked.

"Smokey and Patches, need to be moved out of the apprentices den," Toby mewed staring at the toms that were too large for their small nests.

"I'm gonna go talk to Jasper," Toby said getting out of his warm nest.

"Jasper, can I make Smokey and Patches warriors now?" Toby asked the cream colored tabby.

"These cats aren't warrior," Jasper hissed. "We don't fight," The leader said harshly.

"Okay, than can they move out of the apprentices den?" Toby asked.

"Sure," the tom said.

Toby strutted up to the apprentices' den where Smokey and Patches were about to eat their lunch.

"You guys ready to move out of that smelly nest?" Toby asked them.

"Yes!" They squealed like kits.

"Well come on then!" Toby beckoned them towards the other side of the barn.

"You can go collect some moss for your nest," Toby began. "And now, you can go wherever you want, without another warrior," Toby said. The toms couldn't bare the excitement anymore, and ran out of the barn to fetch some moss.

Toby sat back down in his nest with relief. He sighed heavily as he licked his fur clean.

"Well aren't you a busy bee," Mabel teased.

"Tell me about it," He laughed.

"Now, you can take a brake," Mabel said licking her tuft.

"What are you talking about?" He said.

"You've been doing everything possible since you arrived here," she said. "You need to rest," she comforted him.

"Fine, but I don't wanna seem like another mouth to feed," he mewed.

"This is exactly what I talking about!" She responded. "You always make it seem like you need to prove yourself of something, when you don't!" She mewed.

"You're from the Clans your stronger than the rest of us," she said calmly.

"You think I'm stronger than you guys?" He asked.

"Of course I do," she said moving closer to him. Toby liked it. Her sweet scent comforted him to sleep.

"Wake up," a dark voice commanded him.

"What? Who?" Toby asked without opening his eyes.

"My name is Lionscar, and I am a warrior of ThunderClan," the toms deep voice said.

At this, Toby opened his eyes and sat up. He stared around at a dark clearing filled with fog. He stared in front of him to see a pale yellow colored tom, with a huge scar along his upper flank.

"Who-how-where am I?" Toby stuttered.

"You're in Starclan," the tom answered.

"Am-am I dead?" He asked.

"No, but I'm amongst your thoughts and dreams," Lionscar said.

"Whats that suppose to mean?" Toby asked.

"Don't worry about it," Lionscar changed the subject.

"What's important is that I don't have much time, so listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you,"

Toby nodded his head for him to proceed.

"You are part of a prophecy, and you must defeat Adderstar," he said quickly.

"What? I am?"

"The long lost Hawk will defeat the Adder, with the help of an unknown Clan," Lionscar said quickly.

"Wait! Don't leave!" Toby beckoned the golden tom. The world started to fair around him.

"I'm sorry, I must go our connection is weak," the tom faded away along with the foggy clearing.

Toby woke with a gasp. _The long lost Hawk will defeat the Adder, with the help of an unknown Clan._ He understood the part about the Hawk and the Adder, but what 'unknown Clan'. And why him?


	12. Chapter 11

**Thank you guys for the reviews, and some of your questions will be answered in this chapter, but as always there will be a cliff hanger.**

Toby didn't get any sleep that night. He couldn't stop thinking about his prophecy. Why him? He wasn't the son of a leader or anything so why would Starclan choose him?

As an apprentice, he could remember wanting to have a prophecy from StarClan, and have a great destiny. But not like this. He had a different life. He changed.

"You wanna take the morning patrol with Mabel and I?" Charlie said to Toby.

"Sure," he said dropping his food down and joining the two cats for hunting.

"So who do you think was hiding the spring?" Charlie asked as the padded out behind the moore.

"I don't know," Toby said licking his tail. "But who ever it was is gonna pay for it,"

"Tell me about it," Mabel said. Hey padded over to the spring and began to lap up water.

"We should probably soak some moss for the mothers and elders," Charlie suggested ripping moss off of a nearby tree.

"We should do it after we hunt, so the water won't dry out," Mabel mewed.

"Good idea," Toby said dropping the moss in his mouth. "Alright, you guys can take the Birch Forest, and I'll check out some scent markings over here by the spring,"

The two cats ran off into the Birch Forest as Toby tried to find some scent markings.

The area was still crowded with fox-dung, and finding a cat scent was hard. He picked up a scent he didn't recognize, but at least it wasn't a scent from the barn._ Maybe it's another loner or rogue?_ Toby thought as he continued his search. He continued to search until he found the cliff on the back of the moor._ Oh no, not WindClan. _He thought to himself. He kept trotting up the moor, almost on WindClan territory, but not quite there yet.

In the side of the hill, what looked like a cave, was carved into the cliff. Perhaps it was the home of a loner? He crept up on the cave silently. The air smelt foul and reeked of fox-dung even more. Silently, he peeked his head into the cave. There was nothing but scattered bones, and clumps of fur.

Toby sighed as he walked back over to the spring, but was hit in the flank by a heavy object. At first he thought it was a branch, but then he realized it was a rogue. The black tom toppled him further down the moor, and the two almost fell in the spring. Toby got up anxiously and stared at the tom.

"Hey!" He exclaimed. "I know you!" Toby mewed as he recognized the tom as Harley, the cat who had heat stroke.

"Harley it's me! Remember?" He asked.

Harley did nothing and pounced on Toby again

"Harley stop it's just me! I don't wanna hurt you!" Toby tried to reason with the mad cat.

"Really?" Harley said taking a step back.

"Yes," Toby laughed.

"That's funny, because where I'm from, I'm known as Blade," he said pouncing on Toby and clawing at his throat.

"You're a rogue?!" Toby hissed clawing back at Blade.

"Yes, I only had a 'heat stroke' to find weak points in your home," Blade growled.

"What?"

"See, the thing is, you killed by father," Blade said clawing into Toby's belly.

"You remember him right? Old white tom with a huge scar?" Blade said clawing him again.

"He attacked us!" Toby said clawing back at the tom.

"Yeah, well now I'm gonna kill you and all those that you love," Blade hissed.

"But I'm gonna kill you last," Blade leaned on close and whispered into his ear.

"Toby!" Mabel yowled.

Charlie bounded after Blade but he had already ran.

"Charlie help me get him to the barn!" Mabel yowled as Toby collapsed into Mabel's paws.

"No, I'll be okay," Toby rasped as blood flowed from his mouth. "Just go find him," he coughed trying to keep his eyes open.

Charlie ran back to them, and helped carry Toby.

"Just leave me," Toby said coughing up more blood.

The two cats ignored his plead and continued to carry him back to the barn.

"What happened to him?" Rocky asked as the lay him down on the soft hay.

"He was attacked by a rogue," Charlie said as he gathered some cobwebs.

"I'm gonna need you two to step back," Rocky ordered.

The two cats walked away respectfully.

"Will he live?" Mabel said before she left.

"I don't know," Rocky said grimly.

Mabel left the den as Toby stared back up at Rocky. His eyes drifted off to sleep.

^..^

"When do you think he'll wake up?" A hushed voice asked.

"I don't know," another deeper voice said.

"You just don't know anything do you?" A softer voice hissed.

Toby opened his eyes to see Mabel arguing with Rocky.

"He's awake!" Mabel mewed as she padded up to him.

"Mabel?" He mewed as he saw three of her.

"Why are there three of you?" He asked groggily.

"Your vision is still bad, it's nothing to worry about," she answered.

"Oh," he said as the three Mabel's collided into one.

"Head rush," he said as he felt his head in deep pain.

"Just get some rest," she laughed.

"Wait, no how long was I out?" he asked.

"Um, hold on," she said thinking. "Five days,"

"What?!" He mewed trying to get up and walk around.

"You want me to go back to sleep?!" He hissed.

"Toby take it easy!" Rocky hissed.

"You have a severe concussion!" Rocky hissed again.

Before Toby could lie back down, he felt light headed and passed out.

^..^

"You are just so mouse-brained aren't you?" Mabel said said.

"What?" He mewed.

"Now how long have I been out?" He asked as she padded cobwebs on his wounds.

"A few hours," she replied.

Toby wasn't to upset about this.

"Where's Rocky?" He said blinking many times to adjust his vision.

"He went out looking for herbs," Mabel answered.

"Why, do you need him?" She asked.

"No," he said groggily.

The two cats were silent as Mabel pressed more cobwebs on his wounds.

"I'm sick of you always being in the medicine den for a stupid reason," Mabel said breaking the silence.

"Oh come on, I didn't want to get attacked," he argued.

"Yes I know, but you don't always have to be the one to find water, or kill the rogue, or stop a flood," she said.

"Give me a break, I'm trying to do what's right for the barn," he mewed.

"I'm concerned for your health," Mabel purred.

"What do you mean?"

"You're young, and I don't want you to die fighting a bear, or a dog or something," she hissed.

"So why do you care?"

"Because, if you die before you get old I won't be able to live with myself," she hissed back at him.

"You don't have to do everything," she purred.

Shortly after that, Toby went to sleep. His dreams about StarClan didn't come. He slept peacefully with Mabel by his side.

^..^

"Fire!" a large tom yowled.

**Ooohhhh. I told you there was gonna be a cliff-hanger!**


	13. Chapter 12

**Sorry I took a while to update, I've been busy with my other stories, and you know, teachers don't know that I actually have a social life. (On fanfiction; #forever alone) Anywho, enough of me and more of the cliff hanger that last chapter was!**

Toby stared around at the dancing wall of flames that burst out behind him. He quickly scrambled to his feet to see cats frantically running about the barn. Embers flew through the air, and smoke clogged up Toby's lungs, as he tried to take a breath of air. He coughed and darted for the nursery.

The queens had gone, but some of them were struggling to find their kits. Baby searched anxiously through flaming nests of moss.

"What is it?" He yowled at the queen. She looked up with Maggie hanging from her jaws, coughing in the smoke.

"Where's Bear?" He asked.

"I don't know!" She hissed searching some more.

"Just, go get Maggie outside, I'll find Bear," he told Baby.

"I'm not leaving here without my kit!"

"Its okay I'll find him!"

The queen bounded down the ladder reluctantly. Toby searched through the hay for the small brown kit, but saw no trace of him.

"Bear!" He called out for the kit. The brown tabby stumbled out of a wet clump of moss mewing for his mother.

"Mother?" He asked hoarsely.

"Its okay, I'll take you to Baby," he said grasping the kit's scruff.

He darted down from the nursery loft, and went straight for the exit. Suddenly, a shaft of burning wood fell from the door. The smoke gathered up to the center of the barn, and clouded the ceiling that was caving in.

Toby darted for the other door, but it too, had been blockaded. Toby had no choice but to burst through the crumbling wood. The flames scraped his pelt like claws, and the fur on his pelt was singed. He burst through the door to see the beautiful night sky clear of smoke. Toby dashed out meet his clan mates.

"Here, I got him," Toby said placing Bear into the mouth of Baby.

"Is everyone out? Mabel hissed behind him.

"Yes, I think so," Toby answered looking back at the burning barn.

"Toby, your pelt is singed, let me take a look at that," Rocky mewed strutting up to the tom's burned pelt.

"Where should we go from here?" One of the warriors asked.

"I don't know," Jasper mewed.

"We should find a place away from the barn."

Out of no where, large monsters appeared from the road, and two-legs popped out from the sides. They had beige pelts, with yellow neon stripes, and large helmets fastened over their head. The two-legs grabbed long, snake-like strands, that shot out water, and aimed them at the flames. Within a few, minutes the fire died out, and there was nothing left but a charred frame of wood. The two-legs got back inside the monsters and drove away.

"How did they do that?" Toby asked baffled.

"They have these thing called _hoses_ that shoot out water, kind of like the pumps that the old man has," Mabel explained.

"We should go into the Birch Forest for tonight," Jasper interrupted, as he padded away from the barn. The rest of the clan picked themselves up, and followed him away from the dying fire.

They walked most of the night until they found a clearing and made a temporary home. Toby couldn't sleep through the rest of the night. His burns were crowded dust, and dirt and he tried to scratch the debris out of them. This only made the burns itch. He tried to scratch them to stop the itching sensation, but this only resulted in an uproar of pain from the wounds. Others were restless, too. He could see Mabel slumped up against a tree trying to get comfortable, as she turned in every which way. At one point she was actually upside down.

The morning bought more troubles than the night. There was no fresh-kill, and strange puss was oozing from Toby's wounds.

"Who's going to catch fresh-kill?" A warrior offered.

"I will," Toby volunteered.

"No, you won't, I need to work on your wounds now that I have fresh herbs," Rocky interrupted.

"But-"

"Your wounds are terrible, if you leave them untreated, you'll get an infection," Rocky explained.

"Fine," Toby agreed succumbing to Rocky's den. The orange tom, began to clean off his wound with water, which stung terribly.

"When did you have time to collect all of these herbs, anyway?" Toby flinched as Rocky placed a gooey glob of herbs on his neck wounds.

"I stayed up last night searching for them,"

"I guess I wasn't the only one that didn't get sleep," Toby mumbled.

There was an awkward silence as Rocky searched for the right herb in his collection.

"So, where do you think we'll stay?" Toby asked.

"I don't know," Rocky said wrapping cobwebs around his burns. "But, the old man that owns the barn is fairly wealthy,"

"If he cares at all, he'll pay to fix it,"

_I hope so._ Toby thought.

"Alright, you're free to go, just don't go on that patrol," Rocky warned him.

"Thanks, Rocky," Toby turned away from the medicine cat and padded out of his make-shift den.

A few moments later, the hunting patrol pounded into the clearing, with fresh-kill hanging from their jaws. The warriors dropped their prey on the pile and scattered throughout the clearing.

"Hey, Toby," Mabel purred as she strutted up with a rabbit in her mouth. Toby purred too as he sensed her warm presence.

"Wanna share this mouse with me?" She offered.

"Sure,"

The two cats began to pick at the juicy rabbit. After they were finished, there was nothing more than merely a scrap of dry bones.

"Rocky says he needs more herbs for his collection," Mabel mewed as she swallowed her last bite of rabbit meat.

"I told him I would go, are you up for it?"

"Sure,"

The two padded off to Rocky's den slowly, careful not to re-open any of Toby's wounds.

"So what do you want us to look for?" Mabel asked the orange tabby.

Rocky gave them a basic list of herbs that needed to be collected, and they headed off to find them.

"Did Jasper say when we were going back to the barn?" Toby asked.

"No, but the old man will most likely fix it," Mabel answered grabbing a clump of marigold.

Toby nodded in agreement. He was suddenly shy around her.

"I hope he does it soon I'm getting real tired of sleeping against a tree," Toby laughed. Suddenly, a squirrel burst of the trees and onto a hollow oak.

"I call it," Mabel looked up at the large brown tabby.

"What? No fair, I saw it first," Toby hissed.

"So, I called it,"

"Calling it doesn't mean anything,"

"Too bad, I'm getting it," she mewed. Mabel was about to leap for the squirrel, when Toby shoved her playfully.

"Not today!" He purred. "This one is mine!"

"Oh, please," she hissed kicking him off with her back legs. The small tabby lounged for the squirrel, which she relized wasn't there.

"Where'd it go?"

"Nice job you scared it away," Toby mewed getting up off the ground.

"No, you were the one yowling like a dying badger!" She shoved him again. Toby shoved her back, and the two broke out into a play fight. They tumbled down a small hill and landed in a patch of flowering daisies.

"Great, now we're stuck in this patch of flowers," Toby sneezed twice.

"Ha! At least I don't have allergies," she laughed.

"I'll get over it," he said swatting at floating pollen.

"We should return our herbs to Rocky," Toby suggested.

"He can wait,"Mabel said padding through the flowers. "He's got enough herbs, he just wanted us to get out of the camp for some fresh-air."

"On another thought…" Mabel said. "This is the most comfortable bed I've slept on in a while!" She purred leaped through the thicket of daisies. Toby agreed, it was comfortable, but the pollen made him sneeze constantly.

"You're right," he said lying down next to her. "It's better than having thorns up my back,"

Toby purred as Mabel lie her head on his flank and yawned.

"The sun's going down," he mewed. "We should get bet to camp,"

"We should just stay out here," she said looking up at the night stars beginning to pop up.

"I wouldn't mind that," Toby purred as he let his head rest, next to Mabel's head and dosed off.


	14. Chapter 13

**Thanks for reviewing guys! Spoiler alert for this chapter: there will be romance, but I'm not that good at romance, so I'll throw in some action.**

Toby opened his eyes wearily and stared right into the relentless sun. He blinked his eyes shut, and turned his head away from the light. Mabel sat next to him happily snoring away. Toby got up and stretched his fore paws in front of himself. Mabel sighed and wrinkled her paws against her face. Toby let out a small purr as he stared at her.

Mabel opened her eyes and yawned. "How long have we slept?" She yawned a second time.

"It's almost afternoon," he replied purring louder. Mabel let out a _mrroww _of happiness as she rubbed her pelt against his flank.

"We should get back to camp," she suggested. "They'll be looking for us,"

"Yeah, maybe you but not me,"Toby said licking his tail. "They could careless about a Clan cat who can defend himself,"

"Don't say that," she smiled. The two trotted back to camp, to see the fresh-kill pile stocked, and makeshift dens being created.

"I'm going to send out a patrol to check on the barn," Jasper hissed looking at the surrounding crowd of fellow cats.

"I want Charlie, Toby, Pepper, Bart, Mabel, and myself on the patrol," Jasper mewed. Just before he dismissed the meeting he said, "We leave in ten minutes,"

"Looks like they have work for us," Mabel said gathering near the patrol. Once the patrol left, they split up into pairs as usual.

"Mabel will go with Pepper, Bart will go with Charlie, and Toby and I will go together." Jasper announced. Toby nodded and followed Jasper into the barn. The outside was a charred frame, but other than that, it had held together pretty well. Ashes, fell from the top of the loft, every so often. The other two groups went around the outside of the barn.

"So, what do you-" Toby began but was cut off as Jasper flew into his flank.

"Jasper? What the-" he gasped as he was held against the wall.

"I saw you last night," Jasper hissed. "With Mabel,"

"Ew, you creep, why were you watching me?" Toby hissed.

"Shut up!" He hissed shoving him further into the wall. "She's mine, and if you think you can get her," He paused. "Think again,"

Suddenly, a loud rumbling interrupted them, and Jasper released Toby. The two cats ran out of the barn and met up with the other patrol groups.

"Hurry!" Toby hissed. "Something's coming," they hid behind the barn, and peered out to see the old man with a large car parked outside in the gravel clearing.

"Looks like he's here to fix the barn." Mabel said trotting over to a nearby tree for protection. Then, more larger trucks appeared with more unfamiliar men.

"We should go," Jasper suggested trotting out of the shelter of the tree. The patrol padded back to the camp to report their findings.

"We found that the frame was still intact," Jasper announced. "But, it will take a long time before we can move back."

"How long?" Someone asked.

"About two months," a chorus of disappointment came from the clan. "But, we'll survive," he said optimistically. "We have plenty fresh-kill, we just need more secure dens," Jasper dipped his head to dismiss the meeting. The clan walked away humbly, but on the inside they were upset about leaving. Toby wasn't. He liked sleeping outside, he just needed a proper den and nest. He was told to go to Rocky's den so he could check up on his burns.

"So, take off the cobweb wrapping, and let me get herbs," Rocky said looking for a certain leaf. Toby took off his cobwebs to reveal a puss-filled sing with a deep gash of blood running through it.

"Come on, Toby!" Rocky hissed. "You had to reopen the wound didn't you?"

"Sorry, but Jasper-" Toby stopped himself mid sentence.

"Jasper what?"

"Nothing, I tried to climb up the loft and fell," Toby said quickly. "Yeah, well" Rocky paused to rub herbs in the scrape. "Next time be careful where you put your feet,"

"Okay, no more patrols, or hunting, or even gathering herbs for you!" Rocky scolded him when he had wrapped up his burns.

"But-" Toby stopped himself, and decided it was best not to complain.

"I can't catch a break with you," Rocky said dismissing him. Toby left, and decided to rebuild his nest. It was just some torn dried moss, and a few thorns sticking out from a root.

"Hey Toby!" Mabel noticed him and trotted up to see Toby struggling with his nest.

"Need some help?" She offered. Toby wasn't really used to having other peoples' help, but it was nice to have around. Especially now that he was injured, and was forbidden to leave the camp. StarClan forbid he opened his wounds again, Rocky would lose his mind.

"Sure," he answered reluctantly. He knew he needed to allow others' help, he was just used to doing things by himself.

"You're gonna need some new moss," she explained looking down at the drying plant.

"I'll go get some for you," she mewed walking out of camp. "Wait, Mabel…" Toby was a bout to stop her, but she already darted out of camp. He sat down and a sighed, as he started to clean his pelt. Mabel came back a few moments later, with a strange white tom.

"Who's that?" He asked. "This is Willie," she explained. "He's a kittypet, but he says he knew how the fire started."

"Really?" He said standing up to meet Willie. "Well, how did it start?" He asked.

"There was a man outside your barn, in the nighttime." He began. "And, he had a white stick hanging from his mouth," The tom said trying to find the right words. "I think they're called, um…" he trailed off. "Cigars or something?" He suggested.

"You're the one that saw it," Toby mewed.

"Well, yes, it was a cigar, and he had a strange metallic box, which held fire in it," he explained. "And he light the cigar and fire, and put it in his mouth for long time."

"Weird," Toby said. "Go on,"

"And when he was done, he threw it into the bushes, and I guess the smoke caused a brush-fire," Willie concluded.

"Hm," Toby said trying to make sense of what the tom had said. "So, this man, threw a flaming stick into a bush, and that's how the barn went on fire?"

"Yes, from what I understand," Willie responded.

"Alright, thank you, Willie," Toby said. The white tom nodded and ran back to his home.

"So, do you believe him?" Mabel asked.

"I guess, yeah," Toby said doubtfully. "If it is true then there's nothing we can do about it."

Mabel nodded. "We should start with your nest, it's getting late," she said changing the subject.

"Its fine," Toby said, "I can do it myself," he insisted, but Mabel continued to help him.

"Thanks," he said when they had finished the nest. "No problem," she replied.

"I'll, go move my nest closer to yours," Mabel said trotting over to her spot where her nest was. Toby wondered why she would do that, but he didn't complain. Maybe, she had the same feelings about him, that he had about her. When she returned, the sky was fading into a light shade of pink, and most warriors were succumbing to slumber. Toby and Mabel decided to sleep outside the den, because of the lovely weather.

The two cats cuddled up in each other's fur. Most warriors were asleep, except Mabel and Toby. He was tempted to say something to her, but he didn't know what to say. He Finally conjured up enough courage to say something, thinking that she was asleep.

"I love you," he whispered to her. Her war flinched slightly. Toby was about to go back to sleep, when he heard her reply.

"I love you, too."


	15. Chapter 14

**Hey guys, before I start I just wanna say, that I am really really really really REALLY sorry, that I haven't updated this story in a while. I have Writer's Block and I seriously don't know what to write about. So, once again, I'm sorry for the wait, and there might be another wait on the next chapter. **

Toby opened his eyes, and heard loud arguments around him. A few other warriors were shouting at each other, and Rocky, the brown-and-white tom, was amidst them. He turned to his side, to feel his mate's soft fur, but it wasn't there. She was gone.

He got up see what the commotion was about, but his sore legs collapsed beneath him. He grunted, but got up and stretched.

"What's going on?" He asked between a yawn.

"I'll tell you what's going on," Charlie growled. "Theres a terrible disease that Chipper has, and Andy won't collect herbs with us!"

"Wait, what sickness?" He asked in confusion.

"Come here, would you?" Rocky hissed. "And keep your head outa your tail!" Toby shrugged and followed the tabby into his den. Inside, Chipper, a white-furred elder, was lying sick on the floor.

"So, wait why won't Andy collect herbs?" Toby asked very confused.

"He says that there are 'more important things to do'." Charlie appeared from the outside of the den.

"So, go collect herbs by yourself! Who cares about Andy!" Toby hissed. Andy stood outside the den, looking very angry.

Charlie sighed and left, leaving him alone with Rocky.

"So, what does he have?" Toby asked. "I don't know," the medicine cat's voice trailed off.

"Sorry?" Toby said.

"I-I don't know, but it's very bad."

"Okay, well we'll heal him." Toby said reassured. He left to find Mabel, passing Andy. He gave him a paw-swipe across the head lightly.

"You got a problem?" He asked humorously.

"Ow!" The young tom hissed. "Now I do!"

"Well, if you don't have time to collect herbs for a dying elder, you have a serious problem." Toby hissed with frustration. He strutted away proudly, searching for the small brown she-cat amongst the crowd of warriors.

He spotted her on the edge of the camp, chatting with a few of the mothers. She turned around when she saw him, and greeted him, with a grin.

"Hey Toby!" She purred.

"Hey Mabel," he purred back. "Did you hear about Chipper?" he asked.

"Yeah, I hope he gets better in time for the move." She said.

"Move?"

"Yeah, we're moving back to the barn in a few days, 'cause the old man is almost done with the barn."

"Oh," he said awkwardly. "Well, I out on a patrol to collect herbs with Charlie," he began. "Care to join me?"

"Sure, just lemme eat breakfast first." She reminded him of the nagging pit in his stomach, that needed to be filled.

"Me too," he laughed.

The two left for a patrol shortly after sharing a magpie together, and went of in search of Charlie. They found him near the spring collecting water lilies.

"What use do lilies have?" Mabel asked. "I don't know," he admitted. "I'm sure Rocky can find a use for them." Toby shrugged. He wasn't sure that lilies could be eaten, but mybe they had some other use.

The two began to gather wild marigold, that grew by the water. Mabel said it help with stiff joints, and to stop infection. Charlie helped them collect some more water-growing herbs, and some poopy seeds from a nearby poppy plant.

"This is sorta random, but why do you think all of these bad things are happening?" Charlie asked.

"I don't know, what do you mean?" Mabel asked.

"Well, with the flood, and then the drought, and the fire, and now the sickness? It just doesn't make sense."

"I don't know." Mabel said. Toby observed their conversation, but said nothing.

"It's just a strange coincidence." Toby stopped their gossip.

"I don't think so." Charlie said.

"Well, what other explanation could there be, huh?" Toby hissed at him. Charlie shrugged and continued his work digging up roots.

When the three had returned to the camp, it hadn't gotten any better. In fact, Sasha, a nursing mother, had fallen ill. Luckily, her kits didn't need her milk anymore, so they couldn't spread infection that way. Most of the herbs Rocky gave them didn't seem to help. Some of them brought down fever, but this infection spread fast.

Rocky anxiously walked about the camp, very nervous. Sometime he held huge clusters of herbs, other times it would just be a clump of wet moss. Either way, he was always working.

"Hey Rocky do you ned any help?" Toby offered.

"Yes," the tom paused to place down the herbs he had gotten on the floor of his den. "I need you to try and expand my den to fit more cats in."

"Why?" Mabel asked.

"Because," he panted. "Now Andy is sick."


End file.
